Effect of obesity on the Health and Quality of life in Late Adolescents

Introduction: Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious public health issue. It is on a rise due to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary habits. As these individuals are at higher risk of like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, it is crucial to educate them at this stage of life. Education and interventions at this stage can prevent long-term complications. This study aims to understand the effect of obesity on the health and quality of life in late adolescents through a survey. Materials and Methods: This study involves 17-20-year-old adolescents, selected using a multistage sampling method. Divided into four age groups, students aged 17, 18, 19, and 20 were selected and invited into the study. Results and discussion: A total of 262 students participated in the survey, the majority being from RAKCOMS (69.4%), 19 years of age (42.7%), females (73. 2%), and Asians (52%). Adolescents who were obese had significantly worse self-reported health (OR: 3.29; 95% CI: 1.46-7.43) including walking, running, lifting, participating in sports, and doing household chores, although most of the restriction was reported in lifting a weight. Obese individuals are also significantly likely to have psychological effects (OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.04- 1.63), like sadness (23%) followed by anger (20.6%). Among the academic parameters, obese individuals were more likely to forget things and have difficulty concentrating on studies, but it is not statistically significant (p=.07). Conclusion: Adolescents with obesity had worse self-reported health, including physical limitations, psychological effects, and social limitations. There is a need for preventive strategies and interventions in obese individuals to prevent long-term complications.